We forget this anniversary at our peril.As conservatives face off against their own natural party, the GOP, in NY-23, Florida, and elsewhere, we should remember Ronald Reagan’s famous speech, “A Time To Choose.”

“Not too long ago, two friends of mine were talking to a Cuban refugee, a businessman who had escaped from Castro, and in the midst of his story one of my friends turned to the other and said, “We don’t know how lucky we are.” And the Cuban stopped and said, “How lucky you are? I had someplace to escape to.” And in that sentence he told us the entire story. If we lose freedom here, there’s no place to escape to. This is the last stand on earth.And this idea that government is beholden to the people, that it has no other source of power except the sovereign people, is still the newest and the most unique idea in all the long history of man’s relation to man.This is the issue of this election: Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capitol can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves. You and I are told increasingly we have to choose between a left or right. Well I’d like to suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There’s only an up or down—[up] man’s old—old-aged dream, the ultimate in individual freedom consistent with law and order, or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism…“No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. So governments’ programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we’ll ever see on this earth…“You and I have a rendezvous with destiny.We’ll preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we’ll sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness.

As we’ve discussed before, President Obama is on the horns of a dilemma. He campaigned on the idea that the “real” war on transnational terrorism is being fought in Afghanistan and has since demonstrated that, true to his roots in the far left, he can’t bring himself to pursue any policy which might strengthen US influence abroad. In the process he has carried out a series of metaphorical terrorist attacks of his own, using surrogates to attack General Stan McChrystal. discredit the general notion of winning, and, of course, blame President Bush.Today more of Obama’s Afghan strategy becomes apparent.Please click here for the rest of the post.

Plumline’s Greg Sargent has posted the results of a highly confidential House Democratic Party Whip Count which shows 47 Democrats at No on a public option, with another 8 leaning No for a total of 56. A dozen Democratic House members are still undecided. The hard No votes, alone, are enough to kill the bill. The leaked document was produced by the U.S. House Majority Whip’s office.In a major violation of whipping protocol, the document was shared with Progressive House members who refuse to vote for health reform unless it contains a robust public option.Please click here for the rest of the post.

Joe Lieberman just announced he will filibuster any health care legislation that has the public option in it.This pretty much guarantees the death of the public option in public form. The Democrats will now have to surreptitiously implement it through some sort of “let the states opt-out” or trigger option nonsense that will still amount to the public option.But at least they have to work for it now.Thank you lefty bloggers so very much for primarying Joe Lieberman and helping him be bold enough to shaft you.Please click here for the rest of the post.

George Pataki and Al D’Amato in particular, but both and Rudy too were helped by New York’s Conservative Party.George Pataki would not have been elected Governor the first time without the Conservative Party’s assistance.They are not just local names. All three have national names. They are connected to the Republican Party and, to a degree, they are connected to the fall of the Republicans in New York.All three, though, have been supported by Republicans and by conservatives. Some may not have always agreed with them on positions, but I think the overwhelming majority of conservatives always recognized them to be good men who were with us a heck of a lot more than they were against us.Why are they remaining silent?Please click here for the rest of the post.

Well, I guess I am having some sort of impact. If I wanted validation, I guess I have it from the Scozzafava campaign. Humorously, the interview is with the Los Angeles Times.See here . . .Please click here for the rest of the post.